The passage below contains testimony from the commander
of Auschwitz, given at a war crimes trial in 1946.
How did Rudolf Hoss defend his actions to the court?
He believed he was doing what was right for Germany,
He stated that the number of people killed by Germans
was exaggerated.
He testified that he did not personally kill anyone
He said he was just following orders
DR. KAUFMANN: Is it furthermore true that Eichmann
stated to you that in Auschwitz a total sum of more than 2
million Jews had been destroyed?
HOSS: Yes
DR. KAUFMANN: Did you yourself ever feel pity with the
victims, thinking of your own family and children?
HOSS: Yes
DR. KAUFMANN: How was it possible for you to carry out
these actions in spite of this?
HOSS: In view of all these doubts which I had, the only one
and decisive argument was the strict order and the reason
given for it by the Reichsführer Himmler.